Bleeding Hearts
by Casey Wolfe
Summary: In a world where all the bumps and bruises you receive appear on your soulmate's skin, Dom is wracked with grief at the abuse that drives his soulmate to attempt suicide. It would be years before Dom would finally have an answer to whether or not his soulmate ever survived. [Slash, Soulmates AU]


**A/N: Based on a Tumblr post by jensendaddy: "Maybe the little bruises and cuts that show up on your body seemingly out of nowhere are actually little injuries that happened to your soulmate and you get the same marks on your skin as them." So yeah, this has references to child abuse, attempted suicide… just, here's some tissues. It'll be alright in the end. Promise.**

* * *

><p>He was fourteen when he first noticed them. There were always bruises, cuts, and other marks appearing all over his skin. It wasn't entirely unexpected- after all, that's the way soulmates worked.<p>

Once someone reached sexually maturity- as did their destined significant other- they would start to experience the phenomenon. It was all the bumps and scrapes that showed up on a person's body from seemingly nowhere. What they were in reality were little injuries that their soulmate received showing up as marks on their own skin.

While it should have brought Dom joy knowing his soulmate was out there, and most likely only a few years behind him, the marks were unsettling. They weren't in any way normal. Bright purple splotches would form all across his ribs, the ghosting of cuts that could only be from a sharp instrument, burn marks, and more than one occasion that bruises marked his eye or jaw.

It was disheartening to know that _someone _was putting these marks on his soulmate. Because they weren't happening to him_, _they would fade from Dom's skin within a day or two as though they were never there. He knew that wouldn't be the case for his destined partner. No, the shadows of cuts would never scar, but his heart did. He hated imagining the horrible things his soulmate was going through on an almost daily basis and being absolutely helpless to stop it.

Two years of going around with his own colorful array of bruises and marks- which more frequently included busted knuckles- and still Dom never lost hope in finding his soulmate. There were many occasions he sat in his room and pondered just what he would like to do to the person who dared laid their hands on his partner. He'd long since realized that person was most likely a parent, a father figure, which only served to make Dom's blood boil further.

That afternoon however he was focused on his homework when a sharp pain wracked his left forearm. Hissing, Dom looked down to find the ghost of a cut appearing along the vein. That sent the teen into a panic. He wasn't actually bleeding himself but that didn't stop him from grabbing his arm as though he could stem the blood flow.

"No, no, please," Dom begged, tears stinging his eyes. This couldn't be happening, it just couldn't. "Please don't…" He cried out as his right arm started to burn next. A shaky cut was starting to appear, but it was hesitant, weak. "No!"

Acting in desperation, Dom pulled out his pocket knife and sliced across his arm in the path of the other mark. It hurt like hell and blood was dripping onto the bed but Dom didn't care. There was no other way he possibly had to tell his soulmate to stop, to not give up.

The cutting stopped and Dom let out a shaky breath as he held onto his open wound. He wasn't sure if the halt in the mark was a good thing or not. As he gazed at the ghostly cut on his left arm, all he could do was hope.

* * *

><p>Years passed without Dom receiving more marks. He found things now and again of course but it was never anything serious. It was why he couldn't ever be sure it wasn't something he'd done himself. It worried him, making him think his soulmate was indeed gone. Every occasional questioning mark was enough for him to hold out hope.<p>

He clung to that hope when his father died, when he went off to Lompoc leaving his sister all alone save for Vince and Letty. When he was finally released it was reignited when he opened the garage, when Jesse and Leon came into the picture. He was even able to hope for himself when they discovered big, growly Vince and laid-back, goof-ball Leon were actually soulmates.

Even with all that wishing, he'd never expected someone like Brian O'Conner to walk into their lives.

The blonde had a bright smile and a bubbly personality. For all his easy confidence, Dom got the feeling it was a mask to hide something. Even so, he'd allowed Brian into their circle after seeing him around at a few of the races. He'd blended seamlessly and Dom couldn't help but feel lighter every time he was around.

One day Brian showed up with the shell of a Supra and Dom had teased him that it was a garage, not a junk yard. When he'd offered to help the guy build his own race car he hadn't quite been expecting such a big project. Despite that, he smiled at Brian, slipped an arm over his shoulder and promised they would make it the best damn car on the street- next to his own of course.

It was a day working in the garage that Brian approached him. His hand reached out, fingers running over the scar on Dom's right forearm. The larger man shivered at the touch, not about to deny the attraction he'd been feeling towards Brian since he'd shown up- and also because of the particular meaning behind the blemish.

In his hurry to stop his soulmate, Dom had sliced himself through a bit more skin than was probably necessary. With the amount of layers he'd gone through, he had a significant looking scar. It was a raised welt, slightly lighter than the rest of his skin. He knew what it probably looked like to Brian and frowned over at the blonde.

"Been meanin' to ask about this," Brian spoke slowly, measuring each word.

Dom licked his lips, not sure what to say on the matter. The team knew of course and he'd never had to explain it to anyone else before. Not that he _had _to per say, but Brian was fast becoming akin to family and family didn't keep secrets. Still, it hurt to think about his soulmate.

"A reminder," was what he ended up saying, looking back down at the engine he was working on, "of someone I couldn't help."

There was silence for a few long moments before Brian asked, "Can I talk to you?" Dom looked up and the blonde jerked his chin towards the small office in the back where they could speak privately. He nodded, tailing behind the newcomer, curious despite himself.

Brian turned to him once the door was shut, eyes dancing away when they met. He licked his lips before chewing on the lower one. "I need to show you something," he finally said. Dom didn't understand, at least not until he rolled up the sleeves on his shirt.

Dom realized why the other man had always worn long sleeves or hoodies- they were hiding scars of his own. They weren't just any scars though. Reaching out shaking hands, Dom gripped each of Brian's wrists to gaze at them. The one following the vein of on his left arm was a clean scar, healed over nicely to the point you didn't really notice it. The one on the right however was more obvious with the skin jagged and puckered. Dom ran his thumb over it, a smaller cut that hadn't made it all the way down the man's arm.

Tears welled in Dom's eyes as he realized exactly what Brian was showing him. He tugged the blonde in, arms wrapping around him. His hold was no doubt painfully tight but Brian didn't complain. In fact he held onto the back of Dom's shirt, face buried in his neck. He didn't bother holding back the tears and neither did Brian given the wet patch forming on his skin.

"I thought you were dead," Dom managed, a choking sound coming from his throat.

"I almost was," Brian admitted. "You saved my life."

Dom pulled back enough to meet Brian's eyes. They were glistening with tears, some sliding down his cheeks and Dom brushed them away as he looked to the blonde for an explanation. Brian rested his hand over top the one that cupped his cheek, the corner of his lips twisting upward briefly.

"I realized there was _someone _out there who still gave a damn about me," Brian admitted, breaking eye contact to look down at his soulmate's scar. "I wrapped my arms and managed to call 9-1-1 before passing out. The medics managed to get me to the hospital in time. Cops got involved…" He sighed, giving a little shrug of defeat.

"You…" Dom cleared his throat to try again. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." His voice was raspy from crying yet he couldn't help but offer a slight smile when Brian met his gaze again and gave him the hint of a grin.

"Appreciate the sentiment Dom, but I've come to terms with it a long time ago." He frowned then, backing away to lean against the desk as he explained, "My biological dad was a real bastard. I should probably apologize for all the shit you no doubt had to deal with 'cause of the marks, but…" He held up his hand to stop Dom from interrupting. "If I got one thing outta therapy it's that none of it was my fault so I've got nothing to be sorry for."

"Damn right," Dom muttered, stepping back into Brian's space. Now that he finally had him there, Dom wanted his soulmate close. That made something inside him do a little flip, a smile playing at his lips as he rested his forehead on Brian's shoulder. _His soulmate… _He was real. He was alright and he was finally there with Dom.

"Well," Brian replied, amusement playing in his voice, "I don't think I need to spell it out for you 'bout the things that happened to me. Ended up never having to see the bastard again after that though. Save for the trial." Brian made a _hmph_ sound which told Dom that was another story altogether.

"What 'bout yer mom?" he inquired, always having been curious if she'd been stuck as much as Brian.

"She died in a car accident when I was a toddler," Brian answered softly.

"Sorry," Dom murmured, one arm slipping around his waist to hold him more gently than he had before.

Brian only shrugged. "'M sorry 'bout yours." Dom turned his face into the blonde's neck. At least it hadn't been a surprise with his mom who had finally lost the battle with breast cancer when he was a pre-teen. He figured Mia or one of the others must have told Brian about it, as he'd certainly never made mention of it. "And your dad too."

That caused Dom to straighten, backing up half a step. Now _that _he knew no one would have ever discussed with Brian, or anyone for that matter. "How do you know about that?"

Brian quirked his lips. "The family they placed me with? Retired Detective. Ended up that an old colleague of his adopted me, an LAPD officer." Nick Tanner had taken a shine to him when they'd met. Apparently enough so that he wanted to take Brian under his wing and had gone to all the trouble of making it official. "Sooo, I may have done background checks."

Dom's eyes widened and he wasn't sure if he should be angry or amused. "_Why?_" was all he settled for.

It was then Brian's smile became warm, much more like his usual self. "Well it was either I did it or Dad would." He laughed then. "Seriously, it's like he thinks I'm still some teenager. Always wants to know who I'm hanging out with and if they're a 'good crowd.'" It appeared as though he barely held back the eye roll.

"I dunno that we really passed muster."

"Nah, yer all okay. Tanner's used to guys 'round here having juvie records. It really doesn't make 'im blink twice. He's just glad they straightened out." All of them had petty stuff in their pasts, save for Mia. Even so, his particular record wasn't exactly limited to that anymore and he said as much. Brian only shrugged. "Circumstances. Believe me, Dad's not _thrilled _about it, but he gets it. Seems you've been a model citizen otherwise, so's long as you keep it that way, you just might live."

Dom barked out a laugh at that. "Well, guess he's just gonna have to get used to it, 'cause I ain't goin' anywhere Buster."

Brian's bright smile was back in place. "Good to know," he replied, the fondness in his voice obvious. He reached out a hand, threading their fingers together. "So…" he ventured, "where do we go from here?"

"Well…" Dom stepped back up to him once more, bodies slotting together perfectly. "We'll need to tell the team."

"Mmhmm."

"And I should go meet yer dad."

"Probably."

"And we should go on a date."

Brian looked amused at that one. "_And?_" he prompted.

"And this…" Dom tilted his head, slotting their mouths together in a soft kiss. His lips curled into a grin when he asked, "Sound good?" Brian's answer was to return the kiss, a smile of his own spreading across his face.

"Can't believe I found you," Brian spoke softly when he pulled back to breath. Their foreheads were pressed together, sharing the same air.

"So glad you did," was Dom's reply. One hand pressed to Brian's lower back, the other combing through blonde locks, massaging at his scalp.

There was nothing to describe the way Dom was feeling. His soulmate was there in his arms, alive and well. He was beyond happy to finally have this moment. Part of him was still pained that he hadn't been there when Brian needed him the most, but he made a promise to be there from then on. No one would take Brian away from him.

/End


End file.
